Chicago Portage, Mountain pass in Illinois, United States.
Chicago Portage is a natural connection between the Des Plaines River and Chicago River that stretches across several miles through the landscape. The terrain is shaped by the Valparaiso Moraine, which links these two waterways together.
The passage was documented by French explorers in 1673, who were guided by members of the Kaskaskia tribe through this route. For more than 2,000 years before this encounter, different populations had used this natural way for trade and travel.
For centuries, this location served as a vital trading hub where people exchanged shells, copper, and other goods across long distances. The passage connected different regions and the communities that relied on these commercial routes.
This location has marked trails and informational displays that explain the geography of the area. Visitors should allow time to walk through the passage, as the ground is straightforward to navigate and offers different vantage points along the way.
This route created a direct water connection linking the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico through the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River system. This connection made the site one of the most valuable transportation hubs in the region.
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